Negative aspects of democracy<\/p>\n
Now that Indonesia is to have a new political system, which
\nwill probably be more democratic than the old one, it is worth
\nkeeping in mind some general weaknesses of democratic political
\nsystems.<\/p>\n
First, the people may choose leaders who are unwise, dishonest
\nand incompetent. To prevent this, electors should be as aware and
\nas well-informed as possible. It is essential to have proper
\nchecks and balances between the executive, legislative and
\njudicial branches of government. It must be possible to hold
\nleaders to account and judge their record in power against their
\npreelection pledges. An effective opposition and skeptical media
\nare invaluable, and so is a capable civil service loyal to the
\npeople.<\/p>\n
Second, democracy may easily become coercion of the minority
\nby the majority. Effective guarantees of minority rights are
\nindispensable. Political parties should not be divided on tribal,
\nracial or religious lines, since the result is that the largest
\ntribe is guaranteed a permanent hold on power. A converse problem
\nis that certain privileged minorities may wield too much
\ninfluence, either by being able to swing the election or by
\nholding the balance of power in the legislature. To prevent this,
\nthe party system should not be unduly fragmented, Also, some
\nissues may be better decided by referendum than within normal
\nparty politics.<\/p>\n
Third, the government may be too weak to confront outside
\nforces. Corruption, and even intimidation, work at an individual
\nlevel, so strict and constant vigilance is imperative. At a
\ncollective level, policies contrary to popular will may be
\ndictated by economic agents, the military, religious
\norganizations or foreign powers. A government needs well-defined
\nand well-understood goals, so that it can decide rationally when
\nto succumb to such pressures and when to resist.<\/p>\n
Fourth, the government may also be too forceful and use its
\ndemocratic legitimacy to impose decisions that should be left to
\nregional and local authorities, traditional leaders or religious
\nand civic organizations. By doing this, the government will
\ndisempower the people when its goal should be to empower them. A
\ndemocratic government should limit its activities to matters
\nwhich can only be decided at a national level and leave space for
\nlocal and non-governmental organizations to flourish. In this way
\nthe people will have a say in running their own lives not only at
\nelection times but everyday.<\/p>\n
I hope these factors will be taken into account as Indonesia
\nprepares a political system for brighter future.<\/p>\n
JOHN HARGREAVES<\/p>\n
Jakarta<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/negative-aspects-of-democracy-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }